


Immorientio

by Ninjam117



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Conspireshipping, Deathshipping, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Rough Sex, Thiefshipping, Underwater Blow Jobs, deathsmut, some violence, thiefsmut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 04:03:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11153853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninjam117/pseuds/Ninjam117
Summary: With a country plagued by war, a young king must make a deal with a demon to end it once and for all. Meanwhile, the prince of the opposing kingdom finds himself making a promise of his own.





	Immorientio

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sitabethel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sitabethel/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Lemonade Stand](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4743236) by [sitabethel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sitabethel/pseuds/sitabethel). 



> Blep. It's Ninjam.
> 
> I dunno what to say other then, here's a fanfic inspired by a role play inside a fanfic based on YGO. The original of this is from Sitabethel's lemonade stand. For a quick synopsis, the conspire group makes a movie, and this is the movie.
> 
> A cheesy love story that also has smut. (So minimal plot to string it together)
> 
> And because it is not mine, I only use the opening dialogue leading into the scenes Sita has in their fic (so if you're thirsty go read the original). Some of those scenes here are altered somewhat, but considering how I'm unwilling to just copy and paste what was already written, gO rEaD teh oThER oNe.
> 
> Also because I'm so uninspiring, here's a title that I picked based on an overused song from my high school days that really has nothing to do with the fic (if I were to be honest, I listened to the Lotr soundtrack the entire time of writing this (and I'm pretty sure it shows)).

"We can't keep going on like this! We've lost too many troops defending what little territories we have left!"

Marik stood there with his generals, hearing all of their strategies and plans outlined in front of them all on a large map. Small figures to denote them and their enemies crowded atop it. He frowned deeply, arms folded tightly together.

"... What about the capitol to the west? Surely we finally have enough man power to storm through and lay waste to the other kingdom in time to slay the King," he said, fingers drumming against the table.

"I'm afraid we've already tried that my lord," one of his generals said, shaking his head, "Shada's forces barely made it back during their scouting mission alone. Unless you're prepared for the worst, we shouldn't resort to that."

Marik clicked his tongue, staring fiercely at the map. For years now his kingdom had been at war with the neighboring one, a fight that had gone on for so long that they had forgotten the purpose of it. Marik suspected that it had to do with territories and riches that had gone dry, but that hardly mattered anymore. Not with his own forces and resources being depleted.

"Well. What would you suggest then Karim?" the young king snapped.

"As it is, I'm afraid there is hardly anything we can do," the man responded, eyes set hard, "We've been going back and forth for so long, it's a wonder how no one has won yet. And since they're unwilling to surrender, this is all we can do to protect our territories."

Marik frowned, then stared at the map in disgust, "... So it's a stalemate then. We need something that could turn the tides of power-"

"My lord!"

They all looked up towards the main hall. A young woman came running in with a panicked look on her face. Marik immediately recognized her as one of the healer's helpers.

"What is it?"

"The soldiers are back from the war to the west!" she said, panting heavily, "The troops are all injured... Including General Rishid."

That's all Marik heard before retreating from his spot at the head of the table to the hall the woman came from.

"Continue to organize the troops! If Rishid's fleet has been disbanded then we need more troops to cover the break in the line!" he shouted over his shoulder. He sprinted down the halls, his purple cape fluttering behind him as the woman from before stayed close on his heels. By the time they came to the healing wing, Marik was out of breath.

The woman guided him through the room, his eyes gazing around at the soldiers who had succumbed to multiple injuries. Many of the handmaids were running about, trying to assist the healers that were just as frantic. Marik ignored them, going towards the back of the room where a tall tanned man laid back in one of the bed.

The young lord knelt down, fighting back his own urge to panic at the sight of his oldest companion. A healer was knelt down on Rishid's other side, easing the pain from an open chest wound that was bleeding through cloth wrappings.

"... Master Marik," Rishid rasped out, half of his face covered in bandages. Marik took his hand, clenching it tightly when he felt how cold it was.

"I'm here... General," Marik said, trying to remember to hold authority in his voice but failing.

"... I'm sorry," Rishid said, chest rising and falling at an unsteady rate, "My... My forces tried to hold the enemy back... But they were... They were too strong. They're willing to... They're willing to do anything... It takes... To win."

"What do you mean?"

Rishid swallowed, taking another breath before continuing, "There's something different. The commanders are willing to throw away their lives carelessly. As long as we were taken down, they..."

Marik's gaze dropped, then looked around the room at his fallen troops. He could tell that there were a lot less injured then any previous groups. But these were all that were left...

"My king," Rishid said, voice growing weary, "For our people... You must end this war."

He reached up and grabbed Marik's hand, gripping it tightly between his own.

"Please. Bring our kingdom out of the darkness and back into the light... Back to our beginning..."

Marik felt Rishid's grip slip, his hands falling slowly. The young king's eyes widened, shock going through his whole body as he watched the light in his faithful general's eyes dim.

"Rishid? Rishid!" Marik called, then stood up, "Someone! Get over here immediately! Rishid hold on. I order you to hold on!"

At the call of their king, many healers rushed over. One of them held a staff over the fallen man's chest as other started to chant. A light appeared at the top of the wood, casting a warm glow.

"My lord, we need you to step outside," one of the older mages said, "There isn't much time."

Marik allowed himself to be guided out, eyes not leaving Rishid even when many mages crowded around.

"You have to save him!" Marik demanded over the shouting. The healer nodded, making sure that the king was fully out of the room.

"We will do all that we can," they said without much care before bowing. They went back inside, leaving Marik alone in the darkened hall. He could hear them all still shouting inside as their footsteps ran through the room.

"..."

He knew that there was a good chance that Rishid would not make it. Even when he knelt there next to the general, he felt Rishid's life slipping away. Marik cursed under his breath. He turned on his heel, marching back down the hall towards the war room.

"... This is going to end!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three men stood around a table, looking down at a hand drawn map in the middle of a makeshift table. Outside, they could hear the rustlings of the soldiers as they prepared to leave for the front lines. The king, a man with tanned skin and slight blonde hair, frowned at his captains and their concerns.

"Sire. We barely managed to get through on the eastern side. I doubt we'll be able to manage another large scale attack without taking too much damage."

"If that's what you think then obviously you're thinking like a coward," the king scoffed, "If we lay forces at the five pinnacle points, we'll be able to distract them enough to come in from the south. Without the false king's faithful general, the rest of their forces will fall to our feet!"

The was a flash of light as someone stepped into the tent. A soldier stepped inside.

"My liege," they said, "Your personal guard is back. They said that they found the tome that you were searching for."

The king halted, and slowly turned around. His eyes were narrowed, as if challenging the other.

"Are you sure?"

The soldier nodded, eventually bringing out a large book from their satchel. The king grinned, a sinister glint in his eyes as he stared down at the deep purple cover of the tome. He took it in his hands, flicking through a few pages before slamming it shut.

"Tell the Assassin Prince that he'll need to prepare himself for a long journey," the king ordered, "And round up whatever soldiers are around. He'll need them for this quest."

The soldier nodded, then left. The king turned back to the rest of his captains.

"I'm heading back to the capitol. I trust you all to make good enough decisions to keep the false king's forces at bay," the king said, marching out the tent, "After all. He's nothing but a child."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marik had been hidden away into the library for weeks after his most trustworthy general had fallen. Driven by grief, he knew that this was the only way he would be able to bring the war to an end. His council had told him that, no matter what he had done, there was no power out there that he could gain that could help him seize the other kingdom.

... Not anything in this realm that is.

He didn't want to resort to it. Especially with what had happened to his father. But...

He shook his head. What happened before didn't matter, not with the rest of his kingdom at stake. He couldn't let Rishid's sacrifice go in vain. And even though he could hear his sister's warnings heading in the back of his mind, he continued to search through the many tomes and scrolls for the right spell.

The one that would summon a demon to do his bidding.

He searched well into the night, the candles nearby burning down to the table. At one point he must've fallen asleep, because the next moment he felt someone nudging his shoulder and calling to him.

"My lord? King Marik?"

"Ngh... Rishid...?" he mumbled, then looked up blearily. To his surprise it was one of the young mages in training around his age. Marik rubbed his eyes.

"... What is it Mahad?" he asked bitterly, trying to distract himself by shuffling through the scrolls.

"I was asked to come find you. The generals are worried," Mahad said, "... They said that you are planning something."

"I'm supposed to aren't I? That's my role as the king," Marik snapped, still not bothering to look up.

The young mage shook his head, "No. That's not... I see a darkness starting to surround you, and you must take heed. My lord, your council is worried. We all are."

Marik couldn't help but scoff. The mage in training never usually spoke to the young king, often kept too busy with care-taking a young lord of some nobleman. Besides, he didn't know of the blood that stained Marik's family. He shook his head.

No. Marik's path has always been in darkness. But it was now that he needed to dive forward into it and claim the power for his own. He wouldn't be swallowed up by madness or evil like his father though. He would stand against it, bend it to his will until it submitted to him. Only then would he be able to rule without any hesitation, and destroy all who oppose him.

The door to the library burst open, a small girl running inside.

"What is it Mana?" Mahad asked, seeing the panic on the girl's face.

"There's news from the East," Mana said, waving her arms around, "I overheard some of the scouts! They said that there's some power the opposing kingdom found that will make them invincible!"

Both Mahad and Marik gasped.

"You must've heard wrong," Mahad said, "That kind of thing doesn't exist, not unless he's planning on doing the impossible."

Marik scoffed inwardly at the irony.

"But that's what I heard," Mana pouted, "Well. Whatever he's looking for is in the eastern woods."

"Well. Even if the King is trying to find a new power, that is our territory," Marik said, standing up, "Tell the generals to prepare another scouting party. Maybe we can reach this power first."

Marik turned to Mahad.

"As much as I enjoyed this conversation, I have a country to lead," he said, then started to shift through the scrolls. Mahad watched him for a moment before shaking his head.

"... I hope you don't follow this journey you're wanting to embark on," he said.

"Don't you have someone to babysit?" Marik retorted, not looking up from the scrolls he was gazing at. Mahad didn't respond, simply turning and leaving the king to his own musings. Marik sat down silently, debating on whether he had been too harsh. He shook his head, burying himself in the many writings of spells and enchantments.

A glass behind him shattered, making Marik jump. He quickly turned around, and saw a scroll flutter to the floor. He bent down to pick it up, but stopped when he saw a book hidden under the case. Slowly, he reached under and pulled it out. Brushing away the dust, he could barely make out the writings on it.

Marik sat back at the desk, flipping through the pages cautiously. The parchment crinkled and ruffled at every turn. But it also revealed the secrets that he needed. A smile spread upon his lips.

"Perfect."

Without waiting another instant, he picked up the book and ran back to his personal chambers. Along the way, he stopped at his mages' storage room, picking up whatever he saw that would be necessary.

As soon as he was back at his quarters, he placed all the ingredients for the spell on the floor. He paged through the book again, double checking that the spell he was about to use would be able to bring about the end of the war without fully sacrificing his own soul.

All he needed was a year...

Tracing patterns on the ground with charcoal, Marik quickly mixed a few herbs and bones in a clay bowl. He took one of the candles from his bedside table and lit the small concoction. A purple flame bloomed inside. He stared at it for a moment before setting it on the floor, and brought up a small knife.

If he wanted to back out, now was the time.

Marik took a deep breath, slicing his palm just enough for his blood to drip into the bowl. The flames crackled and turned crimson. The young king swiftly got to work, chanting the spell within the book. The flame started to grow, the light from all other sources going out.

As he said the final line, the flame died instantly. The whole room became submerged in darkness. Marik held his breath, waiting for something to happen. The pitch black shadows were quickly getting to him, making him panic. But if the spell worked, he needed to hold fast until the bond was formed.

Suddenly, the fireplace behind him burst alive.

The candles soon followed, revealing a figure before the young king. Marik's breath caught in his throat.

Kneeling before him was a pale figure draped in tight red leather. Long silver hair fell down their back, some of it sticking up like horns. As the creature looked up, Marik took a step back at the crimson eyes staring up at him with a sultry, hungry look.

"Fool. You've just summoned your death," the demon said, licking his lips. As he stood, Marik could see rubies sticking onto the demon's body in various patterns. The young king steeled himself, expression hardening.

"It's my right to give you a challenge first," he said, sizing up the demon. Despite being physically more built, the chances of Marik winning against a trickster demon in a fight was slim. But for some reason, the thought of fighting the male was the last thing on his mind. Especially given how tempting the demon looked as he sauntered forward.

The silver-haired male frowned, but smirked again as his gaze traced along Marik's figure.

"That's right," he said, line of sight landing the book in Marik's hand before flitting up, "And when I complete it, your soul belongs to me."

Marik stared into the blood-red eyes, and tossed the book aside without a second thought. Fearlessly, he reached forward and wound his hand within the silver locks in a sharp tug. The demon didn't react, confident grin still present. Marik traced the other's red stained lips with his free hand, watching as the demon's tongue darted out for a quick taste.

"Let's see about that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scouting party had been searching for days amongst the dense forests. The dark woods were said to be haunted by beasts and creatures that no man could face alone, which was one of the reasons that Kek had been sent out to search with a whole band of men. It did little to help though, as they fought against orcs and goblins and the forest itself. And still, they had hardly made any progress in their search throughout these long months.

Kek hardly cared. To him, the fighting was nothing. He had been trained to be a killing machine, and reveled in the violence. It was his craft. If scholars wrote out their works with quills and parchment, then he did the same with his blade and the bodies that fell to his feet.

"My prince."

One soldier crept up to him, trying to hide his face with his cloak, "The men grow weary. We might need to head back early."

Kek sneered at the lowly soldier. Of course such a feeble man would want to go back. The king would send these useless troops back here while the more experienced stayed and fought on the front lines.

The prince ignored the man, and continued to walk forward on the almost nonexistent pathway. This part of the woods were getting so dark that it was hard tell if it was even daytime.

"If you want to turn back and walk straight to your deaths then go ahead, "Kek said, "Because I know for a fact that the king would not like being told that we were unsuccessful in finding the creature."

The soldier winced, immediately retreating back a few steps. The prince knew this for a fact. For some reason, his father had become more distant recently to the point that he hadn't seen him for months (not that he saw him much in the first place). Of course, that could've easily been because of the war against the northern kingdom. The young lord of that land was putting up a surprisingly long fight. Another soldier, one more sturdy in his strides, came closer.

"And what creature are we supposed to be hunting down my prince?" he asked, "You have yet to tell us."

"Do you really need to know?" Kek asked, bending down low as he ducked through some of the branches. He slowed his pace when he heard the horses struggling to get through. Eventually, the scouting party came to a halt as the back tried to maneuver around.

"... I suppose if you must know, we're hunting down a creature unlike any other," the prince said, "Something that has been rumored to reside here amongst the forests far from any human's eye for centuries."

The ravens above them started to crow loudly, some of them scattering about into the thick tree tops. Kek pulled a small hand blade from his belt, testing the sharpness with his thumb.

"We're going after a unicorn," he purred, a grin on his lips.

He hardly cared for the mission being successful in the eyes of his father. But the thrill of hunting something from legend excited him!

Just then, something went flying through the air, and someone stepped in front of the prince. Metal hit metal, a broken arrow being throw back by a steel shield.

"Ambush!" one of the soldiers exclaimed. They all disbanded, unsheathing blades and preparing arrows. Kek gazed carefully around, listening for their enemies. One of the soldiers let out a shout.

"They're to the right!"

At least five men came running out of the woods at the troop. The soldiers charged forward, calling out for battle as blades clashed. One soldier boldly stepped up to face the prince. Kek grinned, unsheathing his sword.

He waited for the soldier to come to him, then rushed forward with one wide swipe. If it were anyone else, then it would be considered a suicidal move. However, for someone as strong as Kek it was anything but.

The soldier pulled up their blade to block. Kek laughed, watching as his own cut right through the feeble metal and into the soldier's throat. They let out a garbled noise as they choked on their own blood.

As he watched them fall to the ground, another quickly ran to take their place. Kek grinned licking his lips as he pulled his arms back for another thrust.

He let out a hardy laugh as his blade drew arcs of blood into the air.

"Reinforcements are coming!" one of the soldiers shouted, "Hurry we need to regroup!"

Suddenly, a pain shot through Kek's body. He gasped, gazing down enough to see two arrows sticking out from the left side of his stomach.

The prince let out a grunt, quickly pulled the arrows out, and stumbled over the pathway. He ignored the pain and looked around for the other soldiers that were approaching. His vision grew fuzzy, but he stood waiting until another arrow was sent through the air towards his weaker side.

As he brought up his sword to block, the recoil made him stumble. He grit his teeth, watching as a barrage of arrows came out from the darkened woods. Swiftly, he blocked every one, forced to step back as the rest of his troops ducked away for cover or got hit. He was concentrating so hard on the attack that he failed to see the thick tree roots and tripped.

Then he was falling.

It was short lived, a cliff that had been hidden by the shadows, but left him rolling down a hill into brambles and thick branches. Kek grunted and flailed while trying to stop and only succeeded in cutting up his hands and arms.

Eventually, he hit the ground, blacking out.

"..."

"..."

"..."

He wasn't sure how long he was out, but when he woke, Kek was staring up at the trees.

Chest heaving, the prince winced at the little movements he made to try and get back up. All he could muster was sitting. Looking down, he saw that his cloak had been torn in some places, while he lost most of his items on his belt. His sleeves and pants had also been ripped, but any cuts he had vanished.

It was then that he noticed the area that surrounded him was different then the rest of the forest that he had previously been searching. Here, it was calmer, air fresher, with the trees stretching high up to the heavens while the ground was covered in cool moss and white lilies. Even the tops of the trees weren't as heavy, allowing the moonlight to stream through. Turning to his right, he found that he was lying on the edge of a large pond with an even larger waterfall trickling straight ahead.

Kek continued to look around, letting the sound of the lapping tide calm his breathing. The white lilies caught his eye more then once. He reached out towards one, tracing the soft petal with his thumb. It was strange, almost as if it were glowing in the moonlight...

Shuffling came to his left. He flinched, automatically reaching for his sword but finding that he lost it in his fall. He reached down into his boot, feeling the outline of his hunting knife. As he tried to move, Kek let out a hiss of pain from his still open arrow wound and gripped it tightly. Before he could hide, a figure stepped in front of him. He let out a gasp.

A young man stood a few feet away, a white cloak draped over him. He let out a small gasp at the sight of Kek sitting up.

"Oh! You're awake," he said, quickly going to Kek's side. He pulled his hood down, revealing pure white hair that fluttered in the night air, "I hoped that you would be. You've been out for hours."

Kek was silent, staring at the fair male before him. Bright brown eyes shone in the moonlight like rare garnets. Small opals were glistening in his white hair like morning dew, a golden spiral marking his forehead. The other noticed the stare, and turned away somewhat.

"I... I hope you're not too hurt. I healed your cuts from before," he said, blush starting to appear on the bridge of his nose, then looked to Kek's wound, "Would you let me?"

He motioning towards Kek's side that he clenched. Kek paused for a moment before lifting his hand away, a part of him wondering why he was being coaxed so easily into following what this stranger was asking. For all he knew, Kek was being seduced by a nymph or sprite that just wanted to trick him.

But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to care (or he was too light-headed from blood loss).

Kek undid the buttons on his vest and shirt, tugging the damp fabric away and revealing taunt muscles and tanned skin. The other flushed even more, but kept his eyes trained on the open wound.

"What's wrong? Am I showing too much skin to my healer?" Kek smirked, laying down amongst the lilies again. The white-haired male swallowed hard, the flush still staining his face.

"W-Well. You're not the typical visitor that I would get here," he responded, holding his hands close to the arrow wound. A soft blue light started to come from his palms, making Kek's side go numb for a few seconds.

"... What type of person would be so willing to live here in these woods? Or do you just never leave?" Kek asked curiously, noting how the healer wasn't using a staff for his magic.

"These woods are not bad. Just to those who have ill intentions," the white-haired male responded, "Which begs me to ask, what are you doing here? Who are you?"

"The Assassin Prince. Kek of the western kingdom."

The other stiffened a bit, and let out another giggle, "That's... Quite the title! Well then. My name is Ryo."

Kek watched the white-haired male as he focused on the wound. In the back of the prince's mind, there was something off about Ryo. He _looked_ human, but his presence was so calming that the prince felt like he would nod off any second. Surely he had to be some sort of enchanting faye.

And yet, he wouldn't mind lying there, comforted by the other as if they were in a blissful dream never to be awoken.

... But that wasn't why he was here.

The blue light faded from Ryo's palms, and the pain that stitched up Kek's wound had subsided tremendously.

"... I thank you for your healing, mage," Kek said, quickly standing up, "But I need to continue on my quest. No rest for the wicked I'm afraid."

Ryo took his hand, making the prince halt immediately.

"No. Stay. You still haven't fully recovered your energy," he said, then paused for a moment, "Just for a little longer?"

At the request, Kek found himself complying. He sat back down, watching as Ryo smiled at him.

"I know I'm being selfish, considering how you probably have duties to attend to," he said sheepishly, then gazed out to the water. Kek briefly thought about the troops that he was separated from and then to his mission with the unicorn. All those thoughts made his head spin, and he shook them away.

"Not so much as duties as simple tasks," Kek responded, leaning back on his palms, "I'm more of a soldier to the kingdom if anything. But considering how much I enjoy it, that's to be expected."

Ryo turned to him, expression worried, "So you enjoy violence?"

"Only to those who deserve it. That's why I'm an assassin. I protect those weaker by striking down the ones with power."

That's the excuse he told himself at least.

"Is that what the king and queen expect of you?" Ryo asked. Kek grimaced, looking off to the side as his fingers dug into the ground. The white-haired male winced, "I-I'm sorry! If it's too personal, you don't have to say anything."

Kek bit the inside of his cheek in thought.

"I could care less about what the king wants," he scoffed bitterly, "He's hardly what one would consider a decent 'father'." Kek frowned, a cold feeling building as he thought more about his family. "... I never saw my mother," he said, pulling at the grass, "I'm sure she died during labor."

Ryo's expression softened, understanding reflected in his eyes.

"Anyway, the king usually only wants his orders to be obeyed and for quick results," Kek said, shaking his head, "By the way, you haven't seen a unicorn around here have you?"

The prince turned to the other, seeing a suspicious look on Ryo's face. The white-haired male turned back to the waterfall.

"I hope you're not planning on using the immortality spell," Ryo said, gaze distant, "That's why many people seek out unicorns. Wanting to complete spells for their own greed."

Kek raised a brow. An immortality spell? Why would his father be interested in that? There was no benefit that the kingdom could gain from such a thing...

His attention was drawn away when Ryo leaned closer, gazing into Kek's deep lavender eyes. The prince felt his cheeks get warm at being so close.

"... You don't seem like the type of person who wants that," Ryo said softly, "Were you wanting to catch a glimpse of one? Or were you hoping to cure someone dear to you? Unicorn magic is the most powerful magic for healing after all."

The prince raised a brow, then rubbed his arrow wounds.

"Is that what you have learned while here, mage? That's pretty impressive to gain the knowledge of unicorn magic," Kek said earnestly.

Ryo laughed, then shook his head as he sat back, "No. I didn't learn unicorn magic. Quite the opposite really. I've always know my magic."

Kek raised a brow, then thought silently for a moment. The breeze picked up and tossed white petals into the air. Eventually, Kek let out a gasp.

"... _You're_ the unicorn."

Ryo's lips formed into a sad smile as he gazed longingly to the waterfall.

"I'm afraid so. The last one in this forest," he said, "I'm sure there are others out there. But my brethren here have all been sought after and slaughtered. I'm the only one to remain here..."

At the revelation, all Kek could do was sit there in awe. The moonlight grew brighter, shining on the surface of the pond before them. Ryo's fingertips reached forward and started to trace along the water in a lazy motion.

"... Must be lonely," Kek said, leaning up. Ryo shrugged lightly.

"One must get used to it for survival," he said simply, then turned to look Kek in the eye, "What about you? Surely the Assassin Prince must not be as lonely as to get lost in this part of the forest of legends and mythical beasts."

Kek's gaze dropped immediately, lips in a tight frown. His fists clenched tightly together as he remembered his purpose in searching the forest. He could even hear what Ryo was hinting at in his voice and use of formal title. When he didn't answer, he heard Ryo let out a sigh.

"... I see," the white-haired male said, "Well... I suppose I should've expected as much... Though I guess a part of me hoped that you would be different-"

Without warning, Kek drew up his hidden blade from his boot, pushing Ryo back into the grass and held it to his neck. As his hand settled on the other's chest and their eyes stared back into each other, Kek found the grasp on his blade loosen almost instantly.

The eyes that gazed up at him were calm, but also held an unspoken sorrow in their depths. The kind that he had only seen when looking in a mirror. But it was so resigned, it looked as if the life had just instantly died within them. His hand started to shake even more when Ryo closed them in anticipation.

He tried pressing the blade into pale flesh, flinching when he heard Ryo wince. He tried to do it. He really did know that he needed to! But his hand wouldn't stop trembling. He eased it away unsteadily, still shaking hard as he bit his lip in frustration, making it bleed. Ryo peeked out. Ever so slowly, he reached up.

His hands brushed past the blade, and cupped Kek's cheeks. Eventually, the prince's grip slackened, and he dropped the blade into the grass.

Without warning, Ryo wound his arms around Kek's neck and pulled him down into a furious kiss. Kek let out a gasp in surprise, caught off guard by the other's action. Ryo ignored it, instead deepening their kiss.

Kek let out a sigh, leaning down until Ryo relaxed into the grass. He felt the dull pain in his lip fade as the other's tongue traced along it. The prince let his hands trail down the unicorn's sides, kneading the soft flesh. Ryo's hands ruffled through the blonde spikes, tugging every so often.

Eventually, the two of them pulled away for air.

"..."

Kek wanted to say something. Tell Ryo that the last thing he wanted to do was kill him. Tell him that he couldn't bare to take his life in such a way that Kek had done to others more deserving of such a fate. Tell him that, despite just meeting, that Kek had become entranced by the fair creature, and would do anything to protect him. But for some reason, his voice was lost.

Ryo didn't wait for a response, instead grabbing Kek's shoulder's and flipping them over so that their positions had switched. The prince winced when he was slammed down, realizing his mistake when Ryo's close presence left. No doubt the other was going to flee in fear, and never be seen again.

To his surprise, Ryo stayed straddling over him, looking down with a unreadable expression. Before he could move, the unicorn leant down again and pressed their lips together in an even more demanding kiss.

Ryo tugged at Kek's shirt, his warm palms dipping around inside and caressing his shoulder blades and spine. Kek shivered, his own hands drawing up Ryo's thighs and into the translucent shenti he wore, surprised to find the unicorn already half hard. Ryo let out a gasp, then leaned further down and started to suck on the prince's neck.

The prince found himself being drawn into his animalistic instinct, wanting nothing more then to please the fair creature and dive further into his own pleasure. All thoughts about war and power and battles were lost. What did any of those things matter in comparison? As if responding to his own thoughts, Kek growled, kissing the side of Ryo's temple and burying his face in the sweet smelling white locks.

The unicorn left small love bites against Kek's bronze-colored flesh, the purpled marks disappearing almost immediately despite how hard he had sucked. Ryo's hands fumbled at the other's belt a few times until Kek took the hint and assisted. As Kek lifted his hips to shimmy out of the infernal clothing that had grown too tight , Ryo took the opportunity to pull his own slip and cloak away.

As soon as their clothes were gone, Kek took the opportunity to take in the unicorn's appearance. Now that the creature was hovering over him again, Kek could see golden markings and opals that dipped and curved all around in sparkling designs, marring into Ryo's flesh. His hands brushed against them more then once, wondering if he was born with them or if they had appeared over time.

His curiosity was lost as Ryo kissed Kek once more. This time it was more demanding, both of them now set into a rhythm of grabbing and rocking against one another. They took their time exploring each other's bodies, lips parting only for the occasional breath of air. Ryo's hands caressed against Kek's chest, thumbs teasing at his nipples. Kek wound one arm around Ryo's shoulders as he toyed at both of their erections.

Ryo let out a gasp, cheeks now flushed brightly coral as he frotted against the prince into his hand. Kek licked his lips, switching their positions again. This time he laid Ryo gently down as if he were made of glass that could shatter at the simplest touch. He trailed soft kisses down Ryo's neck and chest, lips lingering over his heart for a second before continuing down towards his navel. Hands wound down through Kek's hair, tugging and pulling as he growled back.

As Kek's tongue started tracing along some of the patterns along Ryo's stomach, his hand slowly started to stroke the other's cock more furiously. The unicorn let out a moan. His hips bucked upward, and Kek couldn't help but chuckle at his impatience.

Instead of teasing even more, Kek gave a hearty lick up Ryo's fully formed erection. Ryo let out a breathy gasp. Satisfied with the reaction, Kek continued, watching as the creature below him started to writhe in pleasure. Ryo's hands continued stroke and tug through Kek's hair, one of his leg's hitching upward onto Kek's broad shoulder.

Kek took the hint, taking all of Ryo's cock into his mouth at once. Ryo let out a roar.

"Hah... My... My prince... Ah!...," he gasped out, until finally, he let out another cry of pleasure as Kek hummed around him.

At the soft voice calling to him, Kek slowly released Ryo's cock from his mouth, getting a confused and needy look from the other.

"Don't call me that," Kek said, thumb caressing the other's hip. He took Ryo's hand and kissed his palm, "Use my name. Here, we are equals."

Ryo's gaze softened, a smile that would light up the entire night sky gracing his lips. Kek's chest warmed up, and he dipped back down to finish the job. He went slower, savoring every sigh and moan that came out of Ryo, hands smoothing and stroking over the fair creature's body while he sucked deeply.

He pressed two fingers to Ryo's mouth, watching the white-haired male suck at them and making sure they were completely saturated. Satisfied, Kek moved them down and pressed them into his own ass.

The tips of his fingers brushed against his prostate more then once, making him hum around Ryo's swollen member. He ignored his own need, waiting for just the right moment when he knew that his newfound lover would be at his peak. When Ryo grasped his shoulder, it was time.

Sitting up, Kek straddled Ryo, hands on both sides of his head. The unicorn gazed up with half-lidded eyes, a blush staining his cheeks like poppies. Kek leaned down and kissed the side of his mouth, easing himself down onto Ryo's cock.

Ryo made a choked sound, wrapping his arms around Kek's neck. There was a slight sharp pain that shot through Kek's backside, but it wasn't like the stabbing pain of an arrow wound. If anything, it was the kind of pain that he embraced, knowing that it was just enough to be pleasurable.

As Kek settled into Ryo's lap, he let out a groan at feeling completely full. He rose his hips up enough to dropped back down. Ryo let out another moan, his fingernails digging into Kek's shoulders.

"Ah!... You really ought to-Hah! Take me instead," Ryo groaned out, "I'm sure it's a pain to-ah! Do this without... Proper preparation."

Kek grunted at him, sweat building on his brow as he settled into a slow pace.

"I would rather not... Bring you pain," he panted out, then grinned at the other with a sly smile,"Besides, you can always heal me. You said it yourself that... Ah... Unicorn magic is the best kind."

Ryo let out a chuckle that grew into a laugh, chest shaking against the prince. Kek couldn't resist placing a trail of kissing along his jaw. He let out a moan when he felt Ryo's hand wrap around his cock, stroking hard and fast. Kek took that as a sign to quicken his pace, both of their cries of lust mixing with the sound of slapping skin.

A wave of pleasure came over both of them at once. Kek let out a moan, pulling Ryo closer as he came into the unicorn's fist and felt hot cum fill him.

As they caught their breath, the two lovers looked into each others eyes. Kek leaned forward, gently brushing his lips against the golden spiral on Ryo's forehead before laying to his side.

All Kek wanted to do was melt into nothing, and become engulfed in this creature for all eternity. Nothing else mattered. No kingdom or war was worth harming such a being. Ryo let out a slow breath, curling into Kek's embrace.

"..."

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. But when he woke up, Kek found the unicorn's white cloak around his shoulders. He could hear voices talking, but hardly cared.

That is, until he heard Ryo.

_"What do you all want here?"_

_"We're looking for a mythic beast. Ever see a unicorn out here?"_

His eyes shot open, and Kek quickly sat up. He looked around, disorientated. He glanced down, realizing that he was dressed again, tight bandages around his chest despite his wounds already healed.

_"-I have little doubts that you wouldn't have seen it out here boy!"_

_O-Of course I haven't!"_

Kek turned, and saw Ryo dressed as well, standing a few feet away with a panicked look in his eyes as three soldiers stood by. Kek instantly recognized the insignia on their armor as his father's.

"Then why don't I believe you?" the large blonde man leading said, a smirk on his face as he leaned closer, "You're lying! I think you _do_ know where the unicorn is. In fact, I think you know more then that!"

The soldier unraveled a scroll, showing it to his men. Neither Kek nor Ryo couldn't see it, but whatever it was made the band chuckle darkly.

Kek felt his stomach drop as he saw the soldiers raise their bows. Ryo took another step back. The lead soldier started to laugh.

"Who would think that a unicorn could transform into a person? But I suppose that's not the strangest thing I've seen here!" he exclaimed, "I guess it's our lucky day boys! The reward is as good as ours! Zygor! Sid! Make it as clean as you can!"

Without thinking Kek jumped up, and dove atop Ryo just as the arrows shot passed the two. The soldier leading let out a confused shout.

"W-What?! Who're-" he exclaimed, then immediately stiffened when Kek got back up to his hands and knees, hovering over Ryo protectively, "Ack! M-My prince!"

The two soldiers behind immediately fell to the ground in deep bows. Kek sneered at all of them, eyes dead set on the one leading. He recognized him immediately as captain of his father's personal guard.

"Keith. What are you doing here?!" Kek demanded, "Shouldn't you be at the capitol?"

"W-Well. After the search party came back unsuccessful, the king wanted a more covert group to find the unicorn," Keith stammered briefly, then regained his composure. He let out a chuckle, "I think he'll be glad to know that we were successful!"

The other two soldiers rose up slowly, giving cautious glances towards the prince.

"I-It's good to see you unharmed. M-My prince," one of them stuttered out. Kek raised a brow, realization setting in.

"... Wait. My father sent you out here to find the unicorn, because my scouting party returned empty handed?" he repeated, the two soldiers immediately nodding. A bitter feeling of repulsion rose up in Kek's throat. So his father hadn't even realized that he was missing...

"Anyway," Keith said, now eyeing Ryo from under Kek, "We have a job to complete! And I'm sure the king will be pleased to hear all this when we all return!"

Kek clenched his teeth. The last thing he wanted was to face his father, knowing what punishment would await him if he came back empty handed. However...

He gazed back down at the other. Ryo's hair splayed about, curtaining around his shoulders as he laid there staring off to the side. Kek could see the empty look in his eyes, as if he had resigned himself to death already. And maybe he had, given how calm he had been hours ago...

Keith took a step towards them, tapping his sword against his boot, "... Well? My prince? Are you ready to get this over with? You were always one quick for bloodshed."

"... We're not killing the unicorn."

The smirk fell from Keith's face, "What?"

Kek sat back on his haunches, bangs shadowing his eyes. Ryo hadn't moved, waiting with baited breath.

"... My father wants the unicorn's heart for a spell," Kek said, voice unwavering, "Then wouldn't it make more sense for it to be alive when we bring it back? Or would you rather explain to him when the spell doesn't work because _you_ overlooked a small detail?"

Kek glared up at Keith, who flinched at the daggers being shot at him through lavender eyes. Keith fidgeted, looking down at the scroll in his hands. He clicked his tongue, roughly raveling the parchment back up frustratedly.

"Zygor! Sid! Bring some rope!... We're bring the unicorn back alive," he ordered, then glared a bit at Kek as he and the soldiers turned to go back towards the path. Kek continued to stare intensely at the retreating man's back, wanting to drive a blade through him and be done with it.

But if his father's personal guard was here, then that would mean trouble if they didn't return. Especially if this supposed spell was important to the king...

The body below him shifted. Kek glanced down, seeing the white-haired male still looking off to the side.

"... So you really do intend to kill me," Ryo said wistfully, laying limply in the grass. Kek's heart twisted at the empty look. Despite his urge to embrace the fair male, Kek fought against the feeling and instead brushed his fingers lightly against the side of Ryou's face and combing through his hair. He heard Keith's men coming back, and pulled the other up.

"I'm buying us time," Kek explained quickly, removing his own cloak and draping it over Ryo's shoulders, "I'm sure there's another way out of this. Maybe if I speak to the king-"

Ryo chuckled lightly, pulling Kek's hands away.

"That's a kind thought," he sighed, "But I'm afraid my fate was lost the second I decided to help you."

The unicorn shook his head, and started to walk away from Kek. He drew up the hood, gaze shadowed. Kek's chest twisted into knots at the abandoned look in Ryo's eyes.

"It was a nice dream, however..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The men in the court cheered. Barrels of fine drink being poured for all to enjoy. Marik stood there at the throne, watching his soldiers enjoying their latest victory.

"I'm amazed my king," his general Karim said at his side, "How did you know of the ambush that awaited us at the southern seas? The ships in the bay had only just arrived when we attacked."

Marik chuckled, taking a drink of his mead.

"That's my duty as a King," he said confidently, "I am meant to know all that would help my kingdom, and more."

The past few months had been a great success for turning the tides of the war. Thanks to his newest power of his summoned demon, Marik had been able to get glimpses of battle strategies and plans from the opposing kingdom. Now not only was he able to counter their forces, he was able to plan his own. It wouldn't be long before he was storming the capitol city and sitting at the throne with the other's king's corpse at his feet.

He only had a month left.

As if reminding him, there was a cold air that blew through him that made him shudder.

"... My King? Are you cold?" Karim asked, noticing immediately.

"No. Of course not," Marik responded, then added, "I'll be retreating to my quarter's for the night. See to it that I am not bothered."

Karim gave a short bow. Marik took his mead, making sure to fill it to the brim as he grabbed a few treats from the table as he left. He was sure his pet would enjoy their latest spoils of war.

As soon as he got back to his chambers and locked his door, the candles lit up immediately. The fireplace had gone cold, leaving the room rather chilled. Marik let out another shudder. Even though he hated the dark, recently he had found himself becoming rather accustomed to it.

The candles flickered quickly. A shadow descended into the room. Marik turned around, seeing his silver-haired demon draped across the foot of his bed.

"My my. You're looking good tonight," Marik said, placing his drink and food on the bedside table. Bakura smirked, toying with a loose thread in the quilt he laid on. He had appeared without a top on, revealing many of the blood red rubies dotting his flesh. He wore red leather tights and boots, but they seemed to be on a little too tight at the moment.

"No. Just in a good mood. That last raid left me with my fill for blood for at least a month," he said, eyeing Marik with sharp crimson eyes, "In fact, I don't think I'll need your blood tonight."

Marik cocked a brow, "You've been saying that for a while now. Are you sure you're a demon? Because you've hardly even tried to take payment from me."

The agreement had been that Bakura would take his soul at the end of the year. But Marik's sister had often warned about the tricks that a demon would try in the mean time. He could be driven to madness, or have his sight stolen, or something far worse that Bakura had often hinted at.

Except for some reason, Bakura never went through with those small threats and was more akin to trying to get into Marik's pants more then under his skin (not that either of them ever complained).

Bakura stood up from the bed, heels clicking as he came up to the king. He purred as he swept Marik's hair from his neck. The demon's warm breath tickled Marik's flesh, sending goosebumps along it.

"Payment will come in due time," he said in a sultry tone, "Besides. You're soul will taste all the more sweeter after this war is over with and I have you writhing below me."

Marik chuckled, wrapping an arm around Bakura's waist and pulling him close, "Really? Because the last time I remember it was you writhing under me, calling out my name to the heavens."

Bakura huffed, stepping away with a scowl, "Like I would ever call to the heavens. Their ears have been deaf to my calls for centuries."

The king sat down, pulling his demon into his lap and nuzzling into silver locks. Marik reached over and grabbed his mead.

"Here," he said, bringing it up to Bakura's lips, "Drink. It's from the latest battle. We recovered some of the finest delicacies of the region that I think you will like."

Bakura snorted, but drank from the cup anyway. When Marik pulled his hand away, the demon licked his lips and shifted around so that he was straddling Marik's lap.

"... It's a bit sweet," he said, moving closer to the tanned male, "I think I would rather have something salty."

Marik let out a snort as Bakura leaned down and captured his lips. Bakura grabbed the young king by the front of his shirt, not wanting to stop as both their lips parted and gave way for their tongues to meet.

Eventually, Marik had to pull away for air, cheeks now stained rouge.

"... Don't you want something bitter? Or maybe even savory?" he asked, gesturing towards the plate still on the table. Bakura grinned, eyes not leaving Marik.

"Why would I want to sample these simple dishes when I have quite the royal feast already waiting for me?"

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Bakura drew his claws up against Marik's top, tearing it away to make way for his heated kisses. Marik couldn't help but roll his eyes. Of course this demon wouldn't care for any mortal things like food or drink or fine silks (especially seeing how he's already lost ten of his best dress robes in a similar manner).

Bakura pushed the tanned male down onto the bed, now sucking at the juncture between Marik's neck and shoulder. Marik let out a groan, already feeling his pants getting tighter as he caressed the demon's spine. Bakura growled, thrusting his body against the young king. Marik let out a gasp.

"Are you already at your limit my lord?" Bakura said slyly, "You really ought to have more endurance then that if you're planning on ending the war before the year is up."

Marik grabbed a fist full of silver hair, tugging the demon down so that their eyes were level with each other.

"You already know my endurance is much stronger then yours," he smirked, then pressed their lips harshly together. Bakura growled again, tugging down Marik's pants and climbing further up the bed. Marik reached under his pillow and pulled out a small purple vial, remembering the last time they were here. He shook the bottle, feeling what little was left inside.

"I guess I'll have to get someone to make more. Or we need to take things slower," he said, gazing at it as Bakura continued to lick and suckle the side of his face. When his hand trailed lower down the demon's spine, Marik could feel Bakura's pants already gone.

Enticed, Marik twisted around so that he was now above Bakura and settled between his thighs. The tanned male popped the cork from the vial, pouring the warm liquid down onto both of their erections and smearing some on Bakura's asshole.

He didn't bother with too much preparation, knowing how much pain the demon loved to give and take. As soon as he was done Marik moved one of his pale legs up, quickly shoving inside. Bakura let out a groan, hitching his hips up for more.

"You're not exactly wanting to take it slow though," Bakura remarked, pulling the remains of Marik's shirt away. The king flinched, feeling the cold stinging his back somewhat.

Bakura saw him shudder, then snapped his fingers. The fireplace burst with flames. The room warmed up immediately with the light. Not wanting to get attention, Marik let out a chuckle.

"What? Wanting to set the mood?" he said slyly, shifting his hips into a steady rhythm. The demon simply let out a purr, groaning at the feeling of being completely filled to his breaking point. Seeing the satisfied look, Marik leaned down even further into his thrusts.

Both of their moans of pleasure filled the king's private chambers. The fire would crackle every so often, the light casting their shadows along the walls in a dance. At one point, Bakura's hands started to trail higher up towards Marik's back. The king flinched, then swiftly took a hold of the demon's hands and pinned them above his head and quickened his pace.

"Ah! M-Marik!... Harder...!" Bakura called out. Marik smirked, feeling his own orgasm approaching. Pining the other's wrists in one hand, he reached down and started to jerk Bakura off, making the demon scream.

"Oh! My lord!!"

"Hah... That definitely doesn't get old," Marik chuckled, watching as Bakura unwound before him in a fit of pleasure. The demon called out one last time as he came into the king's hand, back arching up. Before he could reach his peak, Marik quickly pulled out and stroked his own cock three times before cumming over Bakura's chest in thick pools.

Marik leaned on his elbow with a groan, trying to catch his breath as he watched his demon. Bakura looked down at the young king's seed coating his chest. He dragged two claws against it, scooping it up before licking it off. Marik wrinkled his nose at the action.

"Like I said, quite the feast," Bakura, licking his lips as Marik got back up. He reached over for another shirt.

"I can't believe you're so body shy, my lord. Even after all this time," the demon said smugly, turning on his side and leaning on his arm.

"Please. That's hardly the case," Marik scoffed, blinking a few times when he realized where his last night gown ended up the previous evening. He let out a groan.

"Can you get me a shirt?" he asked the silver-haired male, quickly shifting himself so that his back was against the head of the bed. Bakura raised a brow.

"What? No naked cuddling?

Marik glared at him, "No. That's-Just- Get my cloak over there."

Bakura glanced lazily over towards the floor where Marik had dropped it.

"I'm not a dog playing fetch," he said, continuing to lounge on the bed.

"But you do have to do what I say," Marik said stiffly. Bakura moved a claw up, the cloak dragging across the floor before abruptly stopping just an inch away from Marik's reach. He clicked his tongue.

"Fine. Stubborn ass."

He leaned over, keeping his back turned away from the demon. To his dismay, he heard the bed shift.

"... What's that?" Bakura said curiously. Marik stood straight, facing the demon. Barely picking up the purple fabric in time.

"What's what?"

"That on your back," Bakura said, slinking over the covers, "... Let me see."

Marik took a step back, and shook his head.

"... No," he said, then quickly added, "Don't take another step towards me!"

Bakura stared, thinking for a moment before suddenly floating off the bed. He hovered over to Marik, who inwardly cursed at his phrasing.

"Is there a reason why you've been hiding like this? Always getting dressed as soon as we're done?" Bakura asked, arms crossed. Marik quickly put his cloak back on.

"No. And you're being annoying," he snapped, "... I'm going to bed."

He waived the demon away. Before he could react, a gust of wind blew in from the balcony and made Marik stumble as he half fell onto the bed. He turned around with a furious look.

"You did that on purpose!" he exclaimed, keeping a hand down on the cloak. He blinked, realizing that Bakura had disappeared.

Before he could react, hands gripped his shoulders and brought him up onto the bed. As soon as he flopped down, the cloak was quickly lifted from his back.

The whole room fell into silence.

Bakura stared down with wide eyes at the burns that marked Marik's back in intricate patterns. His grip tightened on the purple fabric.

"This is-"

Marik shot up in horror, roughly shoving the demon away and shuffling away until he was against the bed frame. His heart was leaping out of chest as he breathed hard in panic, cheeks livid.

Bakura stared, his gaze hardening immediately.

"Where did you get those?" he growled out, "That's _dark magic_... Just what the hell are you trying to do?!"

"You-You think I would want something like this?! Do you think I did this to myself?!" Marik shouted, making Bakura jump. The king grit his teeth, and looked away. He shifted towards the edge of his bed, "... Go away. Leave me."

Marik was breathing hard, fists clenched tightly in anger. When he didn't hear Bakura respond, he looked over to see the demon had vanished again. But after months of learning about what tricks the white-haired male pulled, Marik knew he hadn't truly left the room. And by the way that the bed dipped down, he knew Bakura was behind him. He didn't turn around.

Neither of them spoke for the longest time, candles slowly burning down.

"... It was my father that did this," Marik eventually muttered, shoulders sinking, "He was always pursuing dark magic, up to his demise. This was just some of his handiwork."

Marik swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat. He bit his lip as the horrid image of his father standing over him with a sharpened, burning blade flickered in his vision. He clenched his eyes shut.

He felt the bed shift, Bakura's presence coming closer.

"So he was trying to get into the demonic realm," he said emotionlessly. Marik nodded grimly.

"To this day I can't even figure out why he would. Sacrificing everything and everyone. Throwing the entire kingdom into despair. Forcing this burden on me," Marik said, frustration welling inside his heart.

He wanted to forget about it, never speak of the atrocities he was forced to go through. But this wasn't some simple memory that could be erased.

"... I hate it," he sighed, "It's a repulsive reminder..."

The bed shifted. Warm hands pressed into Marik's shoulders caressing them firmly. He stiffened at the touch.

"... Nothing about you can be considered repulsive," Bakura murmured, lips tracing against the top of his scars by his neck but not quite touching. The demon let out a sigh, pulling the king closer, "If anything, you're radiant, like the first light ray of dawn."

Bakura moved close until his chest was pressed fully against Marik's back. The demon wrapped his arms around the king, cheek pressed against his shoulder. For some reason instead of prickling numbness, Marik could feel warmth against his scarred flesh.

The flames crackled in the fireplace as they sat like that. Without really thinking about it, Marik slipped one of his gold braces off. He took one of Bakura's wrists, setting the metal band on the demon. Bakura didn't respond, simply rocking both their bodies along as they sat there.

Marik sighed, sinking into the embrace and smiling for a moment at the words Bakura had said to him. 

Who knew that a demon would be a romantic?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The king paced around the room, muttering under his breath. His robes flowed along as he turned around frantically. Both Kek and Keith stood there, watching in anticipation for what he would say. Eventually, the king came to a stop.

"... And you're sure that's what the unicorn said?" he asked Kek, frustration drawing lines across his brow.

"The only way to make this spell more powerful is if you have the heart of your greatest enemy with it," Kek responded. After managing to coax some more information from his father about this spell, the prince new that he had to come up with another reason to help keep Ryo alive for just a little longer.

It seemed to work from the way that the king now paced about the room in frustration. The king grabbed a large book from the nearby table, flipping frantically through the pages. He growled out, slamming the tome down on the table as he glared down at the writing.

"So the Great Wizard Mutoh missed something after all these years..." he said, tapping his finger against the table. He rose up, looking back to the other two.

"Keith. Prepare my troops! We're going to need every able body in order to draw out the king of the cursed thrown. Get the young men in the streets if you have to!" he ordered. Keith nodded, grinning as he walked out the room. Kek watched for a second more before hearing his father clear his throat.

"Assassin Prince," the king said, stepping up to the other, "I need you to go to the other kingdom and slit Marik's throat."

Kek's eyes narrowed at the proposal, fingers naturally twitching towards his blade.

"I don't want to chance this upcoming battle," the king hissed, walking over and leaning on his hands as he stared down at one of the kingdom's maps, "That cursed king... He must have some sort of magic about him. There's no other way as to why he has been able to counter my strategies... This fight _will_ fail. And my chance at immortality will be lost!"

He glanced over his shoulder.

"But if you kill that false king, then all their forces will fall, and the whole country shall be mine within one night!" He said with a dark grin, "Bring his heart to me!"

Kek's hand gripped onto the handle of his sword, gaze narrowing.

"And what of the unicorn?" he asked, "When the war is won, shall we set it free?"

The king let out a hearty laugh, "Silly boy. Why would anyone want to pass up the opportunity of immortality? No. I'm going to seize this power while it's in my grasp!"

Kek frowned, fury building his chest. It was stupid of him to think that the king could be reasoned with. From the way that the king spoke, it was easy to see how he cared so little for anything besides himself.

Including his kingdom, and even his own supposed heir. Kek kept his head bowed, fists clenched to his side.

"I'll be on my way then," he hissed through his teeth. He turned on his heel and marched out the door.

Kek didn't waste any time, storming through the halls down towards the hidden cells. Only he and his father knew of them, so there was no chance that he would be caught once he had gone through the secret entrance. Still, that didn't slow his pace until he was finally at the bottom of the stairs facing one of the locked doors. He tried the handle, finding it shut tight.

He pressed his ear against the wood, hearing the clanking of metal. He rapped his knuckles against the door.

"... Ryo? Are you there?" he asked. The metal sound stopped, then started to shift again.

_"... Kek?"_

The prince let out a sigh of relief. He was still alive!

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Kek asked, already preparing for an attack against his father's soldiers that might've harmed his fair creature.

_"... No. Not that it matters,"_ Ryo responded, _"I already know that I'll be killed by the end of the night. And pretending otherwise is foolish."_

Kek shook his head, "That's not true. I told the king that he needs the heart of his enemy to make the spell stronger. I'm leaving to eliminate the king of the opposing kingdom. You won't die this night."

If he rode on the swiftest horse and took the path through the wastelands, it would take him three whole days to get there. Which meant he only had a week to deliver King Marik's heart.

_"... Is that really enough though?"_ Ryo asked, _"Even if the king believes it and you return, I will still be killed. Even if you come up with another lie, I only gain a few more nights. How can I believe I won't die if I'm not free?"_

Kek winced, gaze falling.

_"I've had many people promise me their help, but eventually left for their own selfish reasons. I doubt you are any different then them..."_

There were traces of bitterness in the unicorn's voice that made Kek's heart turn. He bit his lip, then stood closer to the door. He wanted to say something else, but his voice caught in his throat when he heard a stifled sob. He pressed his forehead against the wood, wanting nothing more then to kick it down and embrace his lover. The fury burning inside made him want to storm back up the staircase and slice his father's heart out instead!

But if it caused a revolt, then there was no telling what would become of Ryo. Until he found a way to free the unicorn, this was all that he could do.

Kek tugged off the silver ring on pinkie, sliding it under the door. He leaned against the door again, listening to Ryo's soft cries.

"... I vow to save you," Kek promised, "I won't let him take your heart. Wait for me."

He stepped away, his hand lingering on the door for a brief moment as he walked back to the stairwell. His expression darkened, fingers toying with the handle of his blade.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The evening sunset cast brilliant light against the walls. The white curtains leading out to the balcony fluttered in the breeze as it trailed through Marik's room.

The silver-haired demon sat on the floor, back leaning against the bed as plates and goblets laid about. Bakura had helped himself to some of the cured meat that Marik had brought him as a snack while away with the generals. He didn't need to eat, but he also didn't mind indulging in human habits while in this world.

"Don't exactly have these in the demonic realm," he mused to himself, picking up a few pickled figs and popping them in his mouth like candy. He chewed a few times before spitting the pits out into the fireplace, "... Still doesn't beat a tasty soul though."

He picked up one of the goblets, swishing the red wine inside. Ah yes. What he wouldn't give for the sweet taste of a fresh human soul. It wouldn't be much longer before he would get to finally claim his prize from the young king.

Bakura stopped, growing weary at the thought.

Too many times did he need to remind himself that he was going to eventually take Marik's soul for his own. As much as he hated to admit it, the young king was growing on him in a way that he didn't expect. Bakura was usually the one to do the seducing, not the other way around.

The silver-haired demon paused, setting down the goblet. He looked around the dirty platters, and then glanced at the golden brace that Marik had given him after he saw the other's back.

Bakura had many pacts in the past, foolish mortals not realizing what they had walked into for their greedy desires. All those times left Bakura having to do the impossible with arrogant dicks making him wait on their every beckon, turning into sniveling cowards when their payments were due.

And yet, Marik was different.

Marik let him loiter around in his bedchamber, making sure that he had everything necessary to make himself comfortable until the young king's return (and even then, he was more then willing to indulge in Bakura's advances). There were a few times where the demon was sent out to do scouting work or ambush some of the opposing forces, but Marik was quick to show his gratefulness. Even caring when the demon appeared drenched in blood.

Bakura scoffed, ripping a large chunk of meat from the rack of lamb ribs with his teeth and devouring it whole. Any other demon would laugh at the thought of wanting love from a human. But what was wrong with wanting to consort with a fair human? It was obvious that the two of them hardly saw their arrangement as just a 'deal'.

Picking up one of the bowls of soup, he slurped down some of the white pellets inside before quickly spitting them out at the fireplace.

"Eck! Chickpeas," he grimaced, then chucked the whole bowl into the fire, "How that spoiled brat can stand those I'll never know."

He watched the mushy seeds catch fire and turn black. However, something was wrong. For some reason, they were smoking too much.

The plumes started to grow unnaturally, the flames rising out of the fireplace. Bakura continued to lean back against the bed, watching with mild interest as the outline of a figure appeared.

**"Demon,"** a voice from inside the fire called out, **"How much longer do you plan on residing within the mortal realm?"**

"Not much longer," Bakura said, tossing a slice of smoked fish in his mouth and chewing loudly, "The year of my current bond is almost up. Then I'll have the soul of a king to do with as I please."

The silver-haired demon swallowed hard, the empty feeling of dread rising at the thought of ripping Marik's soul away. He shook his head, turning back to the fire.

"It's been hard work following his majesty's orders. Having to end a war is quite the heavy load," Bakura shrugged.

**"A demon should be starting wars, not ending them!"** the voice hissed angrily, **"Besides, you've hardly been working at all. One of your caliber could easily take a thousands souls for the amount of time you've been away!"**

Bakura winced, looking off to the balcony in contempt, "I could. But my pact as it is keeps me here. Can't exactly gain the soul of a king if I can't hold up my end of the bargain-"

Suddenly, the flames burst high, charring the ceiling. The intense heat made some of the closer metal platters melt into puddles of silver.

**"You're bargain is nothing more then some human infatuation! You can't hide that!"** the dark lord roared, shaking the whole room and shattering the glass cups to dust, **"DON'T FORGET WHO OWNS YOUR SOUL!"**

Bakura growled at the flames, rising up to his feet in fury. From within the dark smoke, he could see two large red eyes shining back at him. His claws dug into his palms until he bled.

"I know that!" he snapped, "You need to get your nose out of how I do my business! I'll have the soul of the king! Along with any others that stand in the way!"

The flames started to retreat down, the eyes still trained on him as a dark chuckling came from inside.

**"I hope you plan on carrying that out,"** the dark lord hissed, **"The final night is quickly approaching. You best make sure that the king's soul has been worth it. Otherwise, I'll need another soul to toy with for eternity!"**

The fire grew higher, the black smoke billowing up until the vision of the dark lord vanished. The remaining embers continued to crackle, the flames dying away.

Bakura growled as his fists clenched tightly, He strode over to the fireplace, picked up a pitcher on the way, and dumped the water over coals. The embers sizzled and steamed until the light faded completely.

"... Fuck!"

The demon threw the pitcher angrily at the ground into hundred of pieces.

The thought of turning Marik's soul over to that foul lord made Bakura's stomach lurch. Marik's soul - no - _Marik_ was his. And the demon would be dammed for another lifetime before turning his lover over!

Bakura slumped down onto the bed, hardly caring about the dark lord's threats. So what if he didn't take Marik's soul? The thought of being without him was worse then any punishment that the dark lord would put upon him.

But if he didn't take Marik's soul, then what would he want from the young king when their bond was over? As a demon, he needed something for their deal.

Just then, the door swung open. Marik walked inside, raising a brow at the state of the room. More specifically all his melted plates and broken glasses.

"What the hell did you do to my tableware?"

"... Target practice," Bakura said, picking at the bones of one of the chickens he ate earlier dismissively, "How was your meeting? Are you too tired to play with me?"

Marik let out a snort, loosening his cape, "Boring as ever, and no. But I do want a bath. All this talk of war and fighting has left me stiff and aching. I need to get out of that room more, or you need to keep me company again."

"Ha! If I showed up again you'd just get scolded by the generals for too much PDA," Bakura said, watching the young king remove his boots, tossing them to the side. He started to take off his headpiece and earrings before noticing the demon eyes. Marik's gaze dropped, a serious expression on his face.

"We're going to attack the capital," he declared, "We leave at the break of dawn."

"Really? So soon?"

"It's a good time as any to plan our assault. With their forces trying to recover from the battle of southern bay we have a clear shot of being able to take out the capital city," Marik explained, removing his gold braces, "Besides, I only have a week left, and I plan on winning this war with you at my side."

Bakura's eyes widened, surprised by the last comment. By the way that Marik continued to undress, it was obvious he was being completely serious. Marik noticed him staring, and raised a brow.

"... Was there something that you wanted? Or were you looking for some more 'compensation'?"

The demon looked away in thought. On one hand, being able to be free to roam the human realm was beyond fantastic, especially with the young king to be there within him. But on the other, if he didn't take someone's soul then he would spend the rest of eternity in the depths of the demonic realm...

Bakura stood up, kicking some of the plates away, "I don't want your soul. I want something else,"

"Alright. What is it then?"

"... I won't tell you. At least, not until the year is up," Bakura responded, giving a coy look.

Marik rolled his eyes, "Fine. Whatever. Be difficult. We just won't fuck tonight, and you can sleep at my feet."

Bakura choked, giving the young king a repulsed look. Marik tossed his shirt off, a smug expression present.

"But if you really don't want to be my footcozy, you can blow me off," he said, sauntering off to the bathing chamber in the next room over. Bakura growled, but sulked after the young king anyway.

A few months back, there wasn't even the chance of him going near a bath with the king. But ever since the night Bakura saw the marking, Marik had become more open about many things, including spending every free intimate moment he had with the demon.

Steam arose in large plumes around the room. The smell of incense was thick, making the demon's nose wrinkle. He enjoyed the smell on Marik, but why did it have to be everywhere here?

Hot water had already filled the tub set into the floor. Lotus blossoms floated gently along. Marik stepped down the stone steps and slipped under the surface, inhaling the smell of lilac oils that mixed into the bath. He turned around, eyeing Bakura with a smirk. He raised a hand, beckoning the demon over.

Snapping his fingers, Bakura's wardrobe vanished in a puff of black smoke. With a toothy grin, he sank into the water after Marik.

"You're way too theatric," Marik said as he grabbed a glass bottle of soap on the rim of the bath and poured some into his hands.

"What can I say? It comes with being a demon," Bakura chuckled, picking the bottle from the king and lathering his hands up. With steadfast precision, he started to comb through the damp blonde locks of the young lord.

Marik leaned back more, scrubbing his arms and chest down. Bakura sat against the rim, allowing the king to sit more comfortably in his lap. As soon as he was done making sure that Marik's hair was soaped up, Bakura reached over and grabbed a cloth. He made gentle strokes along the young king's back.

He frowned deeply. The deep markings that scarred Marik's back troubled him. He recognized every stroke and sigil, and knew what type of magic it was. For a human to try something like it was... Disturbing, to say the least. There was a part of him that wanted to be rid of the marks to at least ease Marik's discomfort. But that was beyond his power.

At least for now in their current arrangement.

"This is our final night together," Marik said suddenly, stirring Bakura from his thoughts, "I doubt we'll be able to consummate when going to the capitol city. The generals will have me working the entire way there."

Marik reached over, taking a pitcher and rinsing his hair out.

"You work too hard my liege," Bakura said stroking his palms down Marik's thighs, "You know I can easily storm into the palace and rip that king's throat out myself."

The young lord shook his head, placing his hand atop Bakura's.

"No. This is something I must do," Marik said, staring up at the ceiling, "I've lost too much with this war just to pass the torch off to someone else at the last minute. Besides, the last thing I need is my pet to be running off without saying goodbye."

Bakura let out a scoff, leaning closer.

"And why would I want to part with you my dear king? What makes you think I won't want to stay?" he muttered.

Marik turned around, staring into the demon's crimson orbs. He didn't answer, and instead pushed their lips together. Bakura let out a small moan of surprise, but allowed the king to take what he wanted.

His claws traced lazy patterns along bronze thighs, trailing up until they dipped down and around Marik's cock. The young king let out a groan, bucking into the demon's hold.

"You're going to get my bathwater dirty at this rate," Marik huffed out, sitting against the edge and pulling Bakura around to straddle him.

"Who cares? You're already clean," Bakura retorted, adding a twist in his stroke. Marik inhaled sharply, gripping onto the demon's shoulders. Bakura leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together, "Besides. You said it yourself. This is our final night together."

With that, Bakura planted soft kissing along Marik's neck, hearing the other sighing in delight. He sank lower and lower, his hair floating along with the lotus flowers.

Marik raised a brow as he watched the demon disappear under the surface, bubbles dotting along.

"Just what are you-Oh gods!" he shouted. Despite already being surrounded by steaming hot water, Marik found himself gasping at the way Bakura's warm mouth took in his cock. He moved his legs up, thighs settling on top of Bakura's shoulders.

Bakura's tongue trailed under and around, pulling back to the tip before slowly engulfing the swollen prick again. Even the water couldn't silence the king's screams from below. Tanned hands wound into silver hair, palms massaging and coaxing Bakura even more.

Marik practically melted as he felt the rush of pleasure coming at him. He gasped, Bakura swallowing around him as his hips bucked upward. Eventually, the demon rose up out of the water again. He smacked his lips a few times.

"Feeling better my liege?" Bakura snickered, "At least you're bathwater was spared,"

Marik's chest heaved as he caught his breath. He stared up at the demon with a warm expression.

"... I suppose we ought to get out now," he said, standing up and offering a hand out to Bakura. As the demon took it, Marik's lips curled into a smirk, "But then again, I'm not done with you quite yet!"

Suddenly Bakura was pulled from the water and bent over the rim off the bath. He looked over his shoulder seeing Marik standing there, stroking his still fully erect cock.

"My. You do have a lot in you," Bakura chuckled shaking his hips a little. Marik gripped his silver-hair and roughly pulled him up.

"Not as much as you'll have in you soon!" he smirked. The young king pushed Bakura back down, thrusting his fingers roughly inside. Bakura inhaled sharply at the intrusion. Marik took his time, sliding his fingertips along the other's nerves and making Bakura shudder. Satisfied, Marik pulled his fingers away and guiding his cock into the demon's waiting asshole. Marik thrust in halfway, savoring the feeling of being inside his lover before pulling back just enough. Bakura let out an annoyed whine.

"H-Hurry up! You arrogant brat!"

Marik chuckled, "Impatient are we? I guess I should reward you for being so good!"

He annunciated his words with sharp, hard thrusts. Bakura called out, voice intertwining with the slaps of skin against skin in a cacophony of lust. He clawed into the stone floor, shifting his hips up when Marik pushed forward. The demon pressed his cheek against the floor, loving every jab to his prostate as his cock rubbed against the stone below him.

The king reached down and stroked Bakura's erection, moaning out when the demon's ass clenched around him. Marik jerked his hand even faster until Bakura screamed. Cum spilled out over the stone floor, and Marik groaned as he came into the pale demon.

The two of them stayed like that, slumped on each other and panting heavily as their heart beats calmed. Marik let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright," he said, "Now we can get out."

Marik stepped up the edge of the bath. He must've exhausted himself, nearly falling over. Despite the pounding he took, Bakura was up in an instant and steading his lover just in case. Marik waived him away, but sank into the demon's hold regardless.

Without wanting to wait, Bakura picked Marik up into his arms. The young king offered little resistance. He let out a sigh as they retreated back to their quarters.

Making sure they were dry, Bakura tucked Marik into the soft silks and down blankets of the bed. The demon crawled in after, placing a kiss on the young king's lips. Marik looked up at him with a half-lidded gaze, his lavender eyes glistening like crystals in the evening light. Bakura leant down for another kiss, Marik's finger's intertwining with his.

They both laid there, drifting off to sleep as they sank into each other's embrace. Bakura let out a sigh, keeping his hand intertwined with the other's as the candles dimmed around them.

"..."

He had the full intention of sleeping the entire night away, but was awoken suddenly when he felt a dark presence in the room. Even in sleep, the demon's senses were always alert. His eyes snapped open, seeing a tall figure standing over Marik with a blade in hand.

Without wasting a second, Bakura rushed forward and grabbed the blade as it came down. He rolled Marik out of the way with his free hand before lunging at their attacker.

Whoever it was had experience, making sure to keep some distance between him and Bakura as they jabbed at each other. Bakura slapped the blade away more then once. The unknown figure was just as fearless, grappling and kicking at the demon with precision. However, he was facing a demon, and Bakura managed to get them down on their knees, blade pressed against their throat.

Bakura looked all around, the candles and fireplace bursting alive to illuminate their attacker's face. Marik's eyes widened for an instant before his expression turned to bemusement.

"Look what we have here. Did the King of the West send the crown prince as a present for me?" He said, stepping off the bed. Bakura looked down, taking in the prince's appearance.

He was easily taller then the two of them, with rippling muscles evident under his dark clothes. Instead of adorned with gold like Marik, he wore silver. But like Marik, his hair was blonde with his skin a rich hue of copper. He growled at Marik, chest flexing up in pride.

"I'm not afraid of death," he said, gaze cold.

"Oh, little prince, I don't want to kill you," Marik purred out, eyes flicking up to Bakura for a brief moment before looking down at his prey, "I'm going to ransom you back to your father."

"He won't pay."

Marik put a hand to his chin in mock thought, "Last I checked he didn't have any other children to pass on his legacy."

"One doesn't need an heir when one plans to live forever," the prince retorted, eyes flicking back and forth between the two before eventually setting on the young lord.

"Vanity isn't a fountain of immortality," Marik frowned. The prince scowled.

"But unicorn blood is," he said, "I convinced him to wait until I brought your heart to make the spell more powerful."

Bakura's gaze narrowed. He knew of the spell that the prince spoke of. Except it had nothing to do with an enemy's heart. The prince saw the demon staring, and quickly looked away.

"You lied," Bakura said simply, "Why?"

"Who said it was a lie?" Kek growled under his breath. Bakura leaned away somewhat.

"The spell either works or doesn't. You can't make immortality stronger," He shrugged, then stared down at the prince with his crimson stare, "But you already knew that."

"Look. I'll kill a hundred men in battle. I'm not afraid of blood!" The prince exclaimed, standing up and glaring at the demon. He growled, expression suddenly softening, "But the unicorn... Deserves to live. More so than any of us."

Marik frowned. Realization dawned on him as he saw the distant look in the prince's eyes. He let out a scoff.

"You're in love with the creature."

"Better then a demon," Kek said, motioning to Bakura.

"He has his uses," Marik said, then thought for a moment. He tapped the side of his face, "How would you like it if you were king?

Kek scoffed, promptly sitting back down in frustration, "... Why should I care?"

"Well, as you said, your role as heir loses a lot of meaning if your father is immortal," Marik said slyly, then looked to Bakura. Without having to say it, they both came to the same conclusion with what to do with the prince. Marik looked back to their captive, "What if there were a way to save your unicorn lover and place you on the throne instead?"

"... I'm listening."

"We'll help you rescue the unicorn and place you on the throne," Marik said in a diplomatic tone, a hint of seduction in his voice, "In return, we end the war and sign a peace treaty."

Kek let out a scoff, "A peace treaty that's favorable to you, no doubt."

"This war has been expensive. I want compensation," Marik said, sitting in Kek's lap, "But I assure you that I don't plan on being too greedy. I think we'd both profit most as allies. Don't you agree?"

Bakura could see what Marik was doing. _Easily_. The young king was very good at getting what he wanted, notably when it involved battles dealing with temptation. And from the way that the prince let Marik sit comfortably in his lap, it was clear what the answer would be. Especially when Kek wrapped his arms around the other's waist and pulled him closer.

"Fine. I accept your offer."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cell had a single window that provided light. It was easily within reach for anyone who could jump up and grab the bars. But with thick cuffs and chains on his ankles and wrists, Ryo could hardly move. Instead, he was left sitting there silently to await his fate.

Gazing up at the moon, Ryo pondered upon it. Was it going to hurt when he died? Would that spell really work? He hadn't ever seen one work before (not that he was the type of person who would be present for such an act).

He shook his head, instead letting his thoughts drift to the Assassin Prince.

The white-haired male shivered, remembering the last time they had touched, as well as the vow he had made.

"... I hope to see him again before I die," Ryo muttered, rubbing his upper arms for warmth. As much as he wanted to resign himself to his fate, the unicorn couldn't help but hope that Kek did return. Only one other had ever made such a heartfelt promise that the prince had. And if Kek was anything like _him_ , then maybe there was hope...

Footsteps started to approach. Ryo perked up, hoping that it was his prince coming back. But as soon as the keys started to jingle and the door swung open, his heart fell.

The king that had brought him down stepped into the small cell, a clay pitcher in hand. He wasn't wearing the regal robes as before, and was instead sporting full body armor set for battle. His cape billowed as he walked further inside. He set the pitcher down near the center of the room, watching Ryo with a calculated gaze.

"Would you like some water? Maybe some bread or oats? Or do you feast upon gold like the goblins in the forests?" the king asked, then let out a mocking laugh. Ryo glared at him, not moving from his spot. Even with how similar they looked, it was hard to believe that Kek was related to this man.

"I have word from the Assassin Prince," he said, "He was successful in his mission and is bringing me the heart of the false king of the north. It won't be long now."

Ryo frowned, gaze dropping. He knew what Kek was trying to do, but all it did was prolong the inevitable. Now he was being reminded of that cold fact. At least he would be able to say a true goodbye to the prince.

The king noticed the other's solemn expression and raised a brow, "Aren't you going to beg to be spared? Or are you so prideful that you would rather bite your tongue?"

Ryo looked up defiantly, lips pursed shut. He flinched when the king strode over and grabbed his chin. He turned the white-haired male's face to each side, as if examining him. His harsh gaze settled on the gold spiral on Ryo's forehead.

"So it is true," he said, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

"If you're going to kill me, you might as well get it over with," Ryo snapped, then gasped when the king's grip tightened and he was hoisted up. He struggled, his feet dangle in the air as the metal manacle chains clanked loudly against themselves.

"Oh that'll come in due time my dear little unicorn," the king said darkly, the other hand caressing some of the opals in Ryo's hair, "I just need some insurance that this spell will work. Otherwise, what good is a heart of a forgotten creature?"

His hand tugged sharply, making Ryo gasp. The king gazed down at the glittering gems in his palm, gripping them tightly.

He abruptly let go, Ryo falling back to his hands and knees. He let out a hiss of pain, the scrapes fading immediately.

The king let out a scoff, "What a pitiful beast. You best savor these last moments. Your heart will soon be mine!"

He swept his cloak as he turned and strode out the room, knocking over the pitcher of water as he did. The cell door slammed shut, his marching trailing further away.

Slowly, Ryo sat up again. He looked at the door sullenly, gaze quickly dropping.

Something glistened on the cell floor just a few feet away in the puddles of water. Careful as to not touch the broken pottery pieces, Ryo crawled over and found the silver ring that Kek had slid inside. He held it in his palm, seeing a small purple stone set on it. Because of the water, the gem sparkled even more. Just like the way that Kek's eyes lit up that night they had stayed together.

Ryou glanced back at the window, seeing the moon still shining brightly in the night sky as clouds started to build around it. He felt a tear trickle down his cheek and fall to the ground.

He didn't want to die!

Not like this. Not here.

Ryo dug his fingers into his palms, frame shaking. He clenched his eyes shut, a white lily slowly blossoming from the cell floor before him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We shall go in while the main forces are distracted," Marik said before his generals. With the intel given to him by the Assassin Prince, the route to victory was now open for him to seize. Marik moved a few of the pieces on the map around in a mock diagram.

"As soon as the king is taken care of, that'll leave the rest of them in disarray. Because we're attacking in the capitol city, make sure to only target the soldiers. If this plan works, then we're going to need the people on our side."

"I would also suggest on sparing those who aren't fully loyal to the king," Shada said, "There's a good chance that if we show them mercy, the country will be more willing to cooperate under their new ruler."

Bakura let out a scoff, "Mercy isn't what they need. I still think I should just take all their souls and be done with it."

"Calm down pet. You'll have a soul soon," Marik said, winding an arm around the demon's hip. He turned back to the map, "Anyway. Do whatever you must. I have a feeling that his majesty's most loyal soldiers will be at his side during the fight anyway."

"Do you plan on taking them all on your own?" Karim asked, "If you should need more troops, we'll gladly lend you our power to see the end of this war."

"That's not necessary," Marik waved off, "I'll have plenty of fresh blood to help me."

Shada shifted on his feet, "Are you sure? How do you know the prince isn't just leading you into a trap?"

"Even if he is, I'm confident in our abilities," Marik said, "Besides, he has shown me good favor. He will be a good asset to us in the future. Now if you will excuse me, I must take my leave."

The generals gave small bows. Marik strode out the room, Bakura practically glued to his hip. He knew the generals were suspicious of the plan, especially after calling it so suddenly. But with this new development, they had to act quickly.

The two went down to the stables, Kek waiting there with two horses.

"Are we ready to go?" he asked, sharpening one of his knives. Marik adjusted some of the straps on his saddle.

"I think so," he said, "Did you send the message to your father?"

Kek let out a snort, "Like I've ever called him that. But yes, I said that I would be back in four days. However, I know a path that can get us there in three."

"My liege."

Marik turned around, and saw Mahad standing there by the door.

"Here are those explosives that you wanted," he said, passing a bag to the young king. As he did, he eyed Bakura suspiciously.

"Thank you," Marik said, stepping into the mage's line of sight, "This is appreciated. Make sure that the generals are all equipped as well."

Mahad nodded, then hesitated for a moment.

"What is it?" Marik asked.

The mage obviously wanted to say something. He had been strangely absent from the libraries and gatherings that took place (not that Marik really cared).

Eventually, Mahad shook his head.

"It is nothing. Just that. I'm sure that Rishid would be proud of what you are doing," he said simply.

Marik paused for a moment, then stood up straighter. With a nod, he mounted his horse. He felt Bakura settle behind him, firmly gripping his shoulders. Two children ran inside the stables, stopping and gripping Mahad's legs as the horses started to shift. The mage waived to the King and his companions.

"Have a safe journey, my liege."

Marik whipped the reigns, the three rushing out of the city into the empty fields ahead.

They rode all day and night across fields and through wastelands, only taking breaks when the horses needed water and food. It was during those moments that the trio were at their most anxious. Or at least, Kek was.

Every night when the moon rose over them, he couldn't help but think about his lover. He hoped that the king had not been hasty and killed the unicorn. It wasn't likely, but the thought kept Kek awake until the other two forced him to rest, knowing he would be useless if he collapsed from exhaustion during the battle.

Not soon enough, they had arrived at the capitol city.

"Here it is," Kek said as they stood on the plains outlooking the city, "There's a secret passage leading out that only the royal family knows. We can use that to get inside without anyone noticing."

Marik nodded, "Alright. I'll leave a message at the waypoint for Karim and the others. They should be here by midnight. If all goes according to plan, they will attack by the time we finish off the king."

They rode once more. The moon rose in the distance as they approached the city, easily making it through without detection thanks to Bakura's demonic influence. Marik gazed about, seeing the way the people went about their days without much care. A part of him wondered what it would be like to have such a simple life.

Those thoughts were driven away when he caught sight of Bakura gliding along lazily, cloaked in red leather as his silver tresses danced in the air. Marik smiled. Even though the thought of a simple life was nice, being with his demon lover was even better.

"Here we are."

Kek had guided them around until they were at the eastern most keep. Marik looked up at the palace. The torches had been lit, giving it a haunting look. The young king shuddered, grip tightening around the reigns.

As they disembarked, the prince pressed a few of the stones and revealed a passageway. He motioned them to follow, going up the steps silently.

A few twists and turns later, they were standing in the main chambers of the throne room. Sitting in the lone seat was the king. He was dressed in silver plated armor, the emblem of the kingdom embedded on the front. Both Marik and Bakura were surprised to see how similar he looked to Kek, yet had something off about him. His hair was darker, almost auburn in some places, pulled back to reveal a chiseled face like a serious bronze statue.

He glanced towards them with dark purple eyes, and recognized them.

"... Assassin Prince. Why is the false king of the north still alive and standing in my palace?" he asked slowly. Marik tightened his grip around his blade handle, but unwilling to bring it out of its sheath quite yet.

Kek didn't respond, eyes set on the king in a deadly gaze. They were silent, a wordless exchange going between them. Eventually, the king let out a sigh.

"So that's it, is it?" he asked, then stood up, "Siding with the enemy? Planning on killing me? Just what I would expect from you. But I'm afraid it won't be that simple!"

He snapped his fingers. Two large soldiers stepped out from behind the throne, each with broadswords and shields. The king stood up, bringing out his own blade.

The group brought out their own swords before rushing forward. Marik made quick motions to Bakura, signaling their attack. He nodded, vanishing in a puff of black smoke that filled the room.

Marik brought his sword up, swinging hard to the left with a shout. It clashed with metal instantly. Thanks to how his demon manipulated the smoke, he was able to see his enemy without his own location being revealed.

It also helped that Bakura was able to distract them with dark shadows darting all around.

Marik's blade whipped through the air, slicing through the soldier he faced in an instant. He stopped, having to regain his bearing as the shadows started to disperse around him. Bakura was at his side immediately.

"Are you alright? Was that too much?" he asked, worry hinting in his voice. Marik shook his head.

"No. It was fine," he sighed, feeling his fingers starting shake for a moment. He shook his head, "Where's Kek?"

As if answering, the sound of metal clashing resounded throughout. They turned to see sparks and flashes shooting through the shadowy smoke. Bakura waved a hand, the darkness wafting around the battle. Both Kek and the king continued to swing their swords, ignoring the action as if they had been guided by all other senses.

A shout came from the left. Bakura turned in time to see the other soldier rushing at Marik. The demon grabbed his lover, twisting him out of the way as the blade thrusted past them. Marik gasped, then quickly pivoted on his heel into a broad swing. He struck the soldier's side, making them scream out.

Bakura kicked the soldier away off Marik's blade, pouncing on top like a beast with its prey. He saw the panic in the soldier's eyes as he licked his lips.

"Too bad for you," Bakura growled, "I'll be taking your soul now!"

The shadows built around the two, making the soldier thrash out below the demon. Marik looked away, not wanting to watch as the darkness engulfed them while screaming echoed throughout the room. Instead, he turned to Kek and his father.

They had stopped fighting, interrupted by Bakura's antics. The king sneered at their direction before turning to Kek. The prince glanced around, then raised a brow.

"... Why would you only have two soldiers at your side? Why not have your personal guard here?" he asked, confused. The king scoffed.

"Silly fool. I already knew that you were coming for the throne," he said, "I sent out my best troops to fight the incoming battle that you had told me about yourself. Knowing what the false king had done this past year, it was obviously a set up!"

Marik growled. Figures his forward planning up to this point ended up working against him.

"And as for you," the king continued, eyeing Kek, "I expected more from you then to just form an alliance with this false king. But I suppose that's just because of how foolhardy you're being!"

Kek rolled his eyes, "Please. I've always been this way... I'm tired of you treating me like nothing. You never exactly gave a crap about me in the past-"

"Don't lie to me!" The king snapped, then smirked darkly, "This battle had nothing to do with us, nor the fate of the kingdom! I know this has to do with the unicorn that you brought in."

Kek flinched immediately, then tried to steel his gaze. The king let out a mocking laugh.

"Don't try to hide it! I knew the second you asked about the fate of the unicorn that you obviously had feelings for that pitiful creature-"

Kek charged, swinging his blade wildly as he roared. It went wide, the king quickly bringing his sword back and thrusting swiftly at the prince. At the last second, Kek stepped aside, hand slapping the sword away as he stepped forward. The king let out a gasp of surprise as Kek gripped the steel, blood pouring from his hand.

_"Don't you dare speak of him that way!_ " Kek hissed, eyes wide with rage. His fist tightened, shattering the blade in his grasp. Still holding onto the sharp pieces, he slashed at the kings face.

The king let out a shout of pain, kicking Kek away in the chest as he gripped his face. Marik charged from his side, surprising the king as he dug his sword up into the armor. The king let out a choked sound, blade embedded into his stomach. He turned to face Marik, anger painting his face. Marik felt himself freeze.

Suddenly, Bakura appeared behind the king, shadows practically swarming around. They darted forward, pulling the king away and down to his knees. Marik stood there, dumbstruck as the king struggled to get free. Bakura let out a chuckle.

"Good bye!"

He drew his claws up, preparing to rip out the kings soul.

"Wait!"

Bakura halted, eyes trailing over to Marik. The young lord stepped forward, staring at the king with a calculated gaze.

"... This isn't your fight," he said to the demon, then glanced toward Kek, " _We_ need to end this. Stay out of it."

Bakura glared somewhat at the young king. Fighting like this always brought out his bloodlust, this being no exception. But with the look that Marik was giving him, Bakura was willing to concede.

The demon stepped away, the shadows sinking down from the king like water pouring away. That didn't keep the king from collapsing to his hands and knees.

"You're... So quick to claim my life!" The king laughed, coughing violently, "Then go ahead and strike me down! Claim your title and stain your hands with my blood!"

Before Marik could move, Kek stepped forward, his sword still in hand as his other bled out. He stared at the king, emotion void from his face.

Wordlessly, Kek raised his blade to the king's neck. The man inhaled sharply, eyes shutting in anticipation.

To all their surprise, Kek merely shifted the king's collar out enough to reveal a rope around his neck. The prince pulled it up by his blade, a set of steel keys on it.

In one motion, he cut it free and took the keys. He looked down at them briefly before clenching them tightly. Without wanting to wait much longer, Kek stormed out of the room into the main hall.

"Hey moron! The guards are probably still out there!" Bakura shouted, then rolled his eyes.

"You ought to make sure he doesn't get himself killed. We do need him alive," Marik ordered, "Oh. And go send out a signal to the generals. We've slain the king."

Bakura crossed his arms, and turned on his heel with a grumble. As soon as he was gone, chuckling caught Marik's attention.

"So false king. You made a pact with a demon did you?" the king rasped out, eyeing Bakura's retreating figure, "I should've expected something like this from Hafiz's son. You all would do anything for the sake of power."

"Like you're one to take the high ground. So willing to kill a holy creature such as a unicorn for your own selfish desires," Marik sneered, then raised his blade, "Any last words before I send you to hell?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bakura stayed close behind Kek, watching as the prince drew his swords up through the air in a deadly fury. He laughed out as the soldier's bodies fell to his feet. The demon let out a huff.

"I doubt this idiot could even get killed," he said, looking around the throne room and spotting the way to the balcony. With one last glance to Kek, he left the room. The battling was still raging in the courtyard, but it was obvious by the chaos that Marik's forces were winning.

Amongst the fighting, he could feel all the rage and anger of everyone swirling together as blood painted the ground. Bakura's lips curled into a toothy grin, suddenly feeling rather... _Hungry._

**"... Souls."**

The shadows around him started to build. He felt the air rising around him, crackling like fire as it grew hotter. The urge to dive down off the balcony and start reaping the spirits from everyone was getting irresistible. His heart started beating harder against his chest in anticipation. He stood up on the ledge and raised a claw out, hissing out as the dark shadows got thick around him.

A flash of gold made him halt.

The same gold that gripped around his wrist.

A promise...

The darkness started to ebb away, shrinking back down below his feet. For a moment, everything seemed to still. Bakura lowered his arm, the cold wind dying down.

Footsteps came from behind. Metal scraped the stone floor.

"... Did you send the signal out yet?"

Bakura turned around, and saw Kek standing there, blood staining his shirt and sword. He had a serious look on his face, reading straight through Bakura. The demon turned away, digging into his pocket.

He threw the small explosives high into the air. He snapped his fingers, golden sparks lighting up the sky like lightning. Bakura turned around and walked right past Kek.

"There," he said, then gave a side look to the other, "Don't you have someone to save?"

Marik stepped into the room. He had a grim look in his eyes that disappeared as soon as he looked up at the two. He ran a hand through his hair.

"... It's done," he sighed. Bakura couldn't help but stare, the strongest urge to kiss Marik right then and there egging him on.

Because in his heart, Bakura knew he was the reason the shadows had gone away.

Marik raised a brow at the look he was getting. Without realizing it, Bakura stepped to the young king, staring straight into those lovely lavender eyes before pressing their lips together. Marik gasped in surprise.

Kek let out an annoyed sound, storming past them and down towards the hidden dungeon. Marik nudged Bakura away, motioning with his eyes for them to follow. Bakura grumbled, but complied.

As the three of them got to the bottom of the stone steps, a lonely door sat innocently in the dark.

Reserving the urge to kick it down, Kek took the pair of keys in his hand and unlocked it. The door creaked open, a single figure sitting in the middle of the room. Ryo looked up at them, eyes lighting up at the sight of the prince.

Kek grinned as he knelt down next to the unicorn, quickly undoing the metal bonds around his wrists and ankles.

"You've saved me," Ryo said, surprise and relief evident in his voice as Kek rubbed his reddened wrists.

"I swore it to you that night," Kek muttered, gaze still lowered.

"I didn't think you would though," Ryo said softly, running his hands up into Kek's blonde locks, "I laid with you that night because I wanted to feel warmth one last time before I was killed."

Kek pulled Ryo's hands from his hair, holding them in his own in front of them. He glanced down at the silver band that graced Ryo's finger, kissing it as he looked up to his lover with bright lavender eyes.

"I would die before I let someone hurt you."

Ryo smiled at him, and they moved into a warm embrace as their lips met. Ryo's eyes started to water, but he blinked the tears away before they could fall. Kek let out a sigh, pulling them together until they were fully pressed against one another.

Neither of them were quick to stop, wanting to make up for the lost time. It was only when Marik and Bakura spoke did the spell break.

"Well. It's been a year," Marik sighed, glancing to Bakura, "I suppose you're free now."

Bakura let out a snort, staring at the young king, "That means I can do whatever I want now."

"Yes," Marik said, stepping closer and gripping Bakura's shoulder, "It does."

He bit Marik's bottom lip, sucking hard before thrusting his tongue inside the other's mouth. Marik grabbed the front of Bakura's leather jacket, falling over on top of him to the floor. He felt the prince and unicorn's gazes on them but hardly cared.

"Who are they?" Ryo asked curiously.

Kek traced circles into Ryo's sides, "My allies. They helped me free you."

As Marik and Bakura parted for a quick breath, the silver-haired male glanced over to the other couple. Ryo's eyes widened a bit in realization.

"You're a demon."

Bakura continued to smirk at the unicorn, crimson gaze narrowing slightly,"And you're a holy creature. I wonder if it'd hurt... If we kissed."

Ryo smiled, glancing to Kek. The prince licked his lips, a seductive smirk on his face that mirrored Marik's.

"There's only one way to find out."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As word traveled throughout the city of the king falling, the tides of battle turned. As predicted, many of the soldiers were more then willing to step down when given mercy, though there was still plenty of loyal subjects to the king that continued to fight. As the night drew on, however, it was clear that they were outnumbered, and fled out of the capitol. Marik's forces took damage control and helped stabilize the chaos with the hope and promise of the new rulers.

Kek emerged from the hidden passage, carrying his lover gently within his arms. Now that he had finally rescued the fair creature, he couldn't imagine ever letting him go. And from how close Ryo curled up to him, he knew the feeling was mutual.

As they came into the main chambers, he sat down at the throne. Ryo let out a cooing noise as he drifted off, burying his face into the crook of the new king's neck. Leaning back, Kek placed a soft kiss on the unicorn's forehead much like the first time they had met, relief making him succumb to sleep as well.

Marik and Bakura walked behind them hand in hand, except instead of going to the throne, Marik went to the balcony that overlooked the city. He stopped for a moment, glancing to his demon lover. Bakura nodded and kissed Marik's hand as he pulled away. Taking a breath, Marik strode forward with confidence, hearing the cheers of his soldiers as he appeared.

He raised his blade up in declaration as the sun started to peek over the horizon, the light of dawn blessing over the new kingdom.

"The war is over! The kingdom is ours!"

**Author's Note:**

> This was written within the time of two days and was read through once. I have nothing to say other then I might delete it later, or write the sequel depending. Blep.


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